Spinners put Sri Lanka on top in 1st South Africa Test

13 July 2018 - 16:35
By AFP

Sri Lankan cricketer Dilruwan Perera (2L) celebrates with his teammates after he dismissed South Africa's Dean Elgar during the second day of the opening Test match between Sri Lanka and South Africa at the Galle International Cricket Stadium in Galle on July 13, 2018.
Image:
AFP PHOTO / LAKRUWAN WANNIARACHCHI

Spinners led by Dilruwan Perera put hosts Sri Lanka in firm command of the first Test on Friday after South Africa were bowled out for 126 — their lowest Test innings in the country.

First innings centurion Dimuth Karunaratne then made a fluent 60 as the hosts ended day two on 111 for four, leading by 272 runs at the Galle International Stadium.

Angelo Mathews, on 14, and Roshen Silva, on 10, were batting at close of play after left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj claimed three wickets for South Africa.

But it was the Sri Lankan bowlers who starred on a dramatic day that witnessed South Africa slip to 51-6 before being bowled out in the second session of play.

The dismal effort set a new low for South Africa in Sri Lanka, worse than their 169 in Colombo in 2006. “

We wanted to take a lead.

We stopped easy runs, put pressure and got the wickets early and things went on pretty well I thought,” Perera told reporters.

“We didn’t expect to get them bowled out for 126 though,” he added.

Perera returned impressive figures of 4-46 with his off-spin, while paceman and stand-in skipper Suranga Lakmal took three wickets.